Well, not quite yet, but a week from today, January 28, 2006 marks 20 years from when I first came to Haiti in 1986. Barb and Greg Van Schoyck threw me a surprise anniversary party last night a week early! They got me good -- I had no clue! Greg called me over to look at a "strange e-mail" and I trotted right in! The other guests had come in the back way with me never suspecting anything. The dogs barked, but since they always bark at the night guards, I thought nothing of it. The whole crew even sang "Happy 20 years in Haiti to you"!!! I am feeling very blessed. 
There was food -- a whole meal! -- and good friends and colleaques of many years. The Howards and the Mompremiers came. You can just see Jim Howard's shoulder, then Barb Howard, Rithana Mompremier, me, Kristie, Karie and Jean Jean Mompremier.
Fabnot, Zach, Jim and Barb Howard and Rithana Mompremier enjoy the good food and good fellowship while Barb Van Schoyck gets a plate filled. It was a wonderful evening -- Thanks all!!!
Today the combined Ada, Michigan and Iowa City, Iowa team arrived. It is going to be a busy week. The team will be doing devotions for school, dental clinics, pastors and Young Leaders for God seminars, painting, cleaning, photocopying, fixing and some building. I may not get a chance to blog much this week! It all starts full swing tomorrow with the team splitting up to bring song and the message to 2 remote churches. Pray for them and for us!
These ladies are going to the Bohoc Market on a Monday in October. This past Saturday, Barb and Greg and Zach Van Schoyck, Zach's buddy Fabnot Jean, Barb Howard and I went to market in Hinche. We had a nice day shopping and it only took us an hour or so to drive the 16 miles to Hinche! We had a nice lunch and another hour or so back home.
I thought it might be interesting to show you how shopping is done in Haiti. The market in Hinche is somewhat nicer than these photos, but the idea is the same! The October team from Chattanooga took this photo and the ones following. I thank them! Our internet has been giving us some trouble, so it took me several days to get all this posted. Don't let the dates confuse you!
The Vendors sit on the ground in the open or under shelters selling their wares from basins, sheets or tables. Here is an assortment of laundry detergent, buillon cubes, long balogna like sausages, bags of who knows what, matches, cans of sweetened condensed milk and spaghetti, among other odds and ends.
Various items for sale -- nails, bottles, lamps (made of baby food jars), injectable drugs or maybe just the bottles and voodoo packets (all the folded up papers).
Many of the teams who have visited HAFF in recent years will remember Fr Elmeus Valcourt, "the Little Evangelist". He was described in church this morning as an untiring evangelist. Late yesterday afternoon, his work finished, he went home to be with his Lord. His funeral will be this afternoon.
Fr Elmeus spent his time traveling from one town to the next singing songs of praise to God, reading Scripture and preaching. He had a special gift for praying for pastors and other servants of the Lord. He visited a different clinic or hospital each day and prayed for the sick. Most Saturdays, he rode into Pignon with Greg and Barb and preached and prayed at the market. He prayed for us as well.
It was asked this morning in church, "who will there be to replace him". I have been wondering the same. Please pray for his family -- he has a wife and several children. His wife is left to care for their mentally troubled daughter and their grandson. It will not be easy for her. She will need your prayers.
Well, not quite yet, but a week from today, January 28, 2006 marks 20 years from when I first came to Haiti in 1986. Barb and Greg Van Schoyck threw me a surprise anniversary party last night a week early! They got me good -- I had no clue! Greg called me over to look at a "strange e-mail" and I trotted right in! The other guests had come in the back way with me never suspecting anything. The dogs barked, but since they always bark at the night guards, I thought nothing of it. The whole crew even sang "Happy 20 years in Haiti to you"!!! I am feeling very blessed. 
